1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a broadcast receiving apparatus, a control method of a broadcast receiving apparatus, and a storage medium, and particularly relates to a technique for selecting channels in a broadcast receiving apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Broadcast receiving apparatuses, such as television receivers, recording devices that include television tuners, etc., generally have a function for outputting and displaying, in a display device, information related to a selected channel in response to a channel selection operation. Here, “display device” refers to a display portion of the television receiver. Furthermore, “information related to a selected channel” refers to, for example, the channel number of the selected channel, the name of the program currently being broadcasted, the broadcasting time, program attributes, etc. Display of information related to the selected channel shall be called “banner display” hereinafter. The banner display assists a user in understanding the outline of the currently selected program.
The banner display is also displayed in the case where a dedicated key (a banner display key) provided in the remote controller of the broadcast receiving apparatus is operated. The banner display is also displayed in the case where the currently selected channel is selected once again, or in other words, the case where the number key associated with the currently selected channel is operated. For example, the banner display of a Broadcasting Satellite (BS) channel 141 (BS141) can be carried out by the user depressing the number key (for example, the “4” key) associated with BS141 while viewing BS141.
In addition, there are also broadcast receiving apparatuses in which plural channels are assigned to each number key of the remote controller, and the plural channels assigned to a particular number key are cyclically selected in order with each depression of that number key. Such cyclical channel selection, carried out by depressing the same key plural times, shall be called “toggle channel selection” hereinafter.
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of screen transition in a display device at the time of toggle channel selection. In the example, three channels are assumed to be assigned to the number key “4”: BS 141, terrestrial digital 041, and Communication Satellite (CS) 257. When the user depresses the number key “4” plural times while viewing a certain channel (for example, BS103), the channels switch in order from BS141, to terrestrial digital 041, to CS257, and back to BS141, and so on. By using toggle channel selection, the number keys, which are limited in number, can be used efficiently in an environment in which there are many channels. Furthermore, toggle channel selection can also be used as a method for switching among types of broadcast format, e.g., BS, CS, terrestrial digital, etc., which have increased in recent years.
The techniques disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-8117 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-176592 are known as conventional techniques regarding toggle channel selection. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-8117 discloses a toggle channel selection method in which a broadcast station (provider) key is provided in a remote controller, and when the key is manipulated plural times, different channels from the same broadcast station are selected in order. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-176592 discloses a method for carrying out toggle channel selection in accordance with priority channels, a channel order, and the like specified by the broadcast station.
According to the toggle channel selection methods disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-8117 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-176592, when the number key corresponding to the currently selected channel (or the broadcast station key) is depressed, the next channel that is assigned to that key is selected. Therefore, there is a problem that carrying out the banner display by depressing the number key that corresponds to the currently selected channel, which was conventionally possible, is no longer possible.
The present invention has been conceived in light of this situation, and it is a characteristic thereof to provide a technique that improves convenience for the user by causing a broadcast receiving apparatus to selectively execute channel information display and channel selection.